Behind the scandal engulfing Kobe Steel over the falsification of data for some of the materials it supplied is a harsh reality for Japanese steel companies: the need to provide higher quality metals to compete.

The scandal engulfing Kobe Steel deepened as the steel maker said it may have falsified data about two more products, intensifying concern that compromised material found its way into cars, trains and aircraft.

Panasonic's autonomous driving system is expected to be launched in commercial vehicles as early as 2022, in a move that will likely help the Japanese company narrow its gap with rival suppliers in a highly competitive market.